General Manager – Project Delivery

Lead and build Kā te Rama’s national construction and project delivery capability

• Lead an established portfolio while building what comes next
• Bring deep contractor side commercial and construction leadership
• Build a scalable project delivery capability for profitable growth
• Preferred location Christchurch, some flexibility here

About The Role:

The General Manager – Project Delivery is a new role responsible for establishing and leading project + capital delivery as a distinctive enterprise capability for Kā te Rama. It’s an exciting opportunity to combine immediate operational accountability, alongside a significant future-focussed capability-building mandate. You will be both a builder and operator, taking leadership of existing project and construction delivery capability across PAE and Switched On, maintaining commercially disciplined delivery of the current portfolio, while creating the project delivery capability and structure Kā te Rama will need in the future.

Reporting to the Group Chief Operating Officer you will own project performance across scope, cost, programme, quality and commercial outcomes. You'll build the commercial disciplines, project methodology, systems, assurance, people capability and governance that allow Kā te Rama to scale initially across Kā te Rama Property, whilst designing a PMO operating model capable of supporting Kā te Rama's growth ambitions.

This is a rare opportunity to build a scalable capital delivery capability for profitable growth across Kā te Rama. Licence to shape the future - come and help us build it.

Skills & Experience:

This represents a rare build-and-transform opportunity for an experienced leader to have genuine influence over the capability, culture, performance and profitable growth of the organisation. We are looking for people who are ambitious and attracted by that challenge, rather than people who are more comfortable with status quo. The ideal candidate will have:

• A strong personal brand as a people leader with demonstrated success building capability and organisational culture
• Significant strategic and senior leadership experience within a commercial building contractor, design-and-build contractor, or comparable project delivery business, with direct accountability for project and portfolio commercial performance
• Demonstrated experience building, transforming a project delivery function or PMO
• Strong contractor-side commercial capability with experience operating within the monthly commercial disciplines of a contractor
• Understanding of preconstruction, design management, project controls, construction delivery and experience with Procore or comparable project management platforms
• Experience across government, social infrastructure, property and facilities management environments
• The curiosity, respect and adaptability to work effectively in an iwi-owned organisation, with a genuine willingness to develop their understanding of te ao Māori and tikanga Māori.

Some national travel is a requirement.

About the Company:

Kā te Rama is a newly established, Māori-owned infrastructure services group, owned by Ngāti Toa Rangatira. While the enterprise is new, the businesses behind it are not, this is not a start-up: PAE and Switched On bring more than 70 years of combined operating experience, established national operations and long-standing customer relationships. This is a rare opportunity to take what is strongest in each of these businesses and deliberately build a new enterprise from that foundation.

Culture:

Kā te Rama is commercially focused, and performance matters. At the same time, Ngāti Toa ownership shapes how the organisation thinks about leadership, relationships and stewardship. The emerging Kā te Rama Way draws on kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and rangatiratanga, principles applied practically rather than symbolically: looking after what has been entrusted, building enduring relationships, and taking accountability for outcomes. You don't need to be an expert in te ao Māori to join, but curiosity, respect and a genuine willingness to learn are expected.

To apply in strict confidence now, please complete the ‘apply for this job’ application form, attaching your cover letter and CV in PDF format wherever possible. Applications close on 4th October 2026.  Emails will be electronically acknowledged and further correspondence may be by email.

Click here to view the Candidate Briefing document.

For more information please phone Louise Green on [+64 3 353 4367](tel:+64 3 353 4367).